Vehicle body construction



July 2,-1935. LAZARlDEs 2,006,956

VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTI ON Filed Aug. 26, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 14 WNW ATTORNEY- July 2, 1935. T. D, LAZARIDES VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 26, 1933 5 Sheets,Sheet 2 104 INVENTOR y 2, 1935- T. D. LAZARIDES 2,005,956

VEHICLE BQDY CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 26, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet s V VINVENTOR ATTO RNEYS m lmvY p m July 2, 1935. T. D. LAZARIDES VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 26, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 mm LW TM w Him 12 Nil/ENTOR I m 1 i EEN M9 4 1% lfimw gw w W- M M I ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcEI Patented July 2, 1935 2,006,956 I v I VEHICLE BODY ooNsTRUo'rroN Thrasybule D. Lazarides, New York, N. Y. Application August 26, 1933, Serial No. 686,868-

12 Claims. (01. 296-45) This invention relates to automobile constructions which may be used as closed cars and which may be quickly converted intoopen cars by lowering the windows,..sash frames, and stanchions. I

. One object of my invention is the provision of an automobile construction having doors with interfitting parts so as to eliminate intermediate posts or brackets between the doors.

Another object of my invention isthe provision of a vehicle door having a pivoted sash frame which may be moved to concealed position.

Another object of my invention is the provi sion of a door construction having a pivoted sash frame and means for automatically locking the sash frame in raised or lowered positions.

A further object of my inventionf'isthe provision of guard or projecting members on the body construction to conceal'portions of the sash frame.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and which show merely for the purpose of illustrative disclosure, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being expressly understood, however, that various changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims without digressing from my inventive idea.

In the drawings: 7

'Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of one form of a vehicle body embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a partial'horizontal cross section taken substantially on line 22. of,F'ig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a perspective ,view of the body shown in Fig. 1 with certain of the doors shown in open position to facilitate the disclosure.

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged front elevation of the brace showing the bracket in closed position, parts beingshown in section to facilitate the disclosure.

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged detail of the construction of the pivoting of the bracket shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 represents an interior elevation of a vehicle body with the doors closed.

Fig. 7 representsan elevation view of the in-' limit the movement of bracket ,24.

terior of a-doorwith the inner panel removed to facilitate the disclosure.

I Fig. 8 represents a view similar to Fig. 7 with the window in'lowered position. v

Fig. 9 represents a vertical transverse cross section taken. substantially on line 9-9 of Fig.

Fig. 10 represents a horizontal longitudinal cross sec'tiontaken substantially on line l--HI of Fig. '1. I

Fig. 11' represents a; detail of the lockingmechanism for thehinged sash; member.

Fig... 12 represents a view:-similar to: Fig. .11 with .the locking mechanism in unlocked position.; I

Fig-...l3 represents a detailof means for assisting in holding the upper'hinged sash membet in closed or openpositi'on; o N

Fig. 14 represents, a. vertical transverse cross section ofi'a door showing thewindow in lowered position.- a o V Referring now to. the drawings, the reference character generally designates the, body of a vehicle having .the front doors l2 andv rear doors M. The; sides of. the. doors are beveled as at IS. The. doors; are suspended on the outer or, lowered, position vby any suitablev means or standard, construction. The front stanchions 22: are extended beyond the door opening at 25 and are provided, with the groove 26 to receive a, portion of thehinged sashframe later to be described. Each stay brace, l6is provided with a vertical groove 28 toreceive the bracket 24 when the bracket is in lowered. position. Each bracket 24 is pivotally mounted on a pintle 30 to the upper portion of the stay brace and is formed with an offset shoulder. 32 having; the tapering sides v34 which cooperate withl the socket. 36 having inclined sides 3'! in the stay brace l5. These sides 34 and 31 cooperateto A screw 38 is provided in the brace l6 for securing .the

bracket in raised or lowered position, the bracket vide support for the folding top frame and to cooperate with the inner section of the sash frames (presently to be described) when they are in lowered position. It is to be noted that no braces or extensions are required between the sash frames when they are converted upwardly as used on all existing present types. The rear stanchions or posts 23 and intermediate brackets 24 are pivoted so that they may be lowered and removed from sight when the vehicle is to be converted into anopen one. The rear stanchions or posts may be turned backward as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The outer portion 40 of the body is curved and the outer panels 42 of the doors are curved to conform to the shape of the body. The doors at their sides have flanges 44 which are adapted to form a seal with the body. The body is provided with channels to receive the flanges 44 so that the flanges are flush with. the rest of the body.

The door construction is the same for all doors and will now be described in connection with front door I2. Each door construction is provided with a sash frame comprising a swinging U-type frame portion 50 which is hinged to door l2 on rod or axle 52 so that the frame can be rotated and moved to concealed position in a chamber 54 formed in the inner wall of the door l2. Frame portion 50is provided with the flange portions 56. The forward side portion 55 is adapted to be received by channel 26 in stanchion 22. It is-to be noted that the front end 51 of the sash frame is set back fromthe door. See Fig. '7. The door is provided with an opening 58 for the window 60. The sash frame is provided with a groove 62 for the window 60 (see Fig. 2). 'The groove may be providedwith any lining desired. The lower ends of the sash frame terminate in flat disks 64 and 65 which are rotatably' mounted on rod 52. The disks are tapered so that the bottom portion 68 of each disk is slightly thicker than the rest of the disk. -The door I2 is slotted as at 10 to receive the disks 64, 66 of the sash frame 50. The rod or 'axle 52 is adjustable and holds the parts tightly so that the sash frame is held in any position and does not fall down. The slots have inclined sides which are closerat the bottom as at (I so as to cooperate with the disks 64 and 65 and assist in the raising and lowering of the sash frame 50 (see Fig. 8). The side's of' the slot are not parallel but at thepoint' H are closer together and due to the relatively tight construction the parts form retarding means for a portion of the movement of the sash frame 50. Due to this constricted portion the operator has to exert more force on the sash frame 50 and also in lowering the frame so as to cause the frame to snap into upper or lower complete eX- tended position. For locking the sash frame in raised position a slidable bolt I2 is provided in the door which is adapted to be received in opening 13in the arm of sash frame 50. See Figs. 1 and '7. The rod or axle 52 is adjustably mounted in the door and comprises the rod or axle 52 having threaded ends I4 received'in the internally threaded sleeve I5 having a kerf I6. A look nut II' is provided adjacent the sleeve I5 and abuts a portion of the door as shown in Fig. '7. By this construction it is possible'to move the disks on the sash frame and change the amount of tension applied to the sash frame 'so that it may be harder or easier to move the sash frame to its various positions, The door I 2 comprises the outer panel 42, inner panel 18 and intermediate spaced plates I9 and 80. The plate I9 is secured to the inner panel 18 by bent portion 82 and screw 84 (see Fig. 14) at its upper end. At its lower end the plate 19 is secured to indented portion 86 of panel I8 by screw 88 and spacer means 98. Plate 84 is rigidly secured to plate '59 in any manner. The window in lowered position is between outer panel 42 and intermediate plates "I9 and 89. The inner panel '18 is provided with the chamber 54 for receiving the sash frame comprising a horizontal channel 94 and vertical channels 95. In this way standard thickness of the doors is maintained and the sash frame is hidden from view. With this construction the present standard window regulator can still be used. It is to be undertstood that before the sash frame 58 is lowered, it is necessary to lower the window 60 of the door. A cover or pocket flap I09 is provided for horizontal channel 94 for safely securing the frame 56 in lowered position. The attaching means I02 for the cover or flap I80 may be of conventional type.

The stay brace i 6 is provided with a projecting fiat guard member I04 having projecting sides I06 which are wide enough to protect and cover the sides of the sash frames when in lowered position and with the doors closed. The front post 20 and rear portion 2I are provided with projecting guard members H8, H2, adapted to protect and cover the sides of the lowered sash frames.

The means for lowering and raising the window and for locking the sash frame 5% in raised position until the window is completely lowered will now be described. The intermediate plates '19 and 8B are adapted to carry the means'for operating the window of the door. The window is mounted in a frame comprising U-shaped horizonal elongated members I I4 having linings I I6. These members II4 are carried by a channel member II8 having a flanged opening I20. The member H8 receives rollers I22 rotatably mounted on the ends of gear anns I24 on meshing gears I26. These rollers I22 are held within the channel member H3 by the flanges on opening I20 and are adapted to move within the channel to raise or lower the window 6!) when the gear arms I24 are raised or lowered by rotating gears I25. The gears are rotatably mounted on intermediate plates F9 and 28. A handle member IE5 having gear I34 is rotatably mounted in inner panel 1'8 and intermediate plates 19 and 80. The gear I34 is in mesh with one of the meshing gears I26 so that rotation of the gear I34 causes rotation of gears I26 and movement of gear arms I24 and consequent movement of the window 60.

Secured to the center and bottom of channel member H8 is a hook I35 which is adapted to cooperate with a pivotally mounted hook member I38 anda plurality of interconnected links to form a safety locking means for the sash frame 50. The hook member I38 is substantially U- shaped and has a shoulder I40. Pivoted intermediate its ends and adjacent said hook member I38 is a link I44 having a hook portion I46 at one end adapted to cooperate with hook I36 and hook member I38 to securely hold the parts when the window is in lowered position. When the hook I36 is down as in Fig. 12, hook portion I46 of link I44 abuts the shoulder I40 on hook member I38 to lock the parts in this position against accidental removal so that window 69 can not be moved while sash frame 59 is not in the correct position toreceive thewindow. At its other end the link I44 has a pin I48 which is rereceived in the slotted end I50 of another link I52 pivoted at I54- intermediate its ends. The other end of link I52 is also slotted to receive a pin I56 on vertically movable arm I51 which issubstantially L-shaped in cross section and has cut out portions I58. A spring I59 is attached at one end to stationary finger I66 and at its other end to link I52 in order to yieldingly assist in unlocking the hook members when it is desired to raise the window. Thevertical arm I51 is guided in itsmovement by members IG-I. The cut out portions. I58- are-adapted to fit over guide members IBI to facilitate assembly. The arm I51 is provided with a square upper end I68 adapted to be received by a shoulder I10v formed in cam disk I12 secured to disk 64 on the lower end of sash frame 59. When the window is in raised position the parts are as shown in Fig. 11, and when the window is partially lowered the parts are in the same locked position. When the window is in complete lowered position the hook I36 is lowered and forces hook portion I46 of link 564 down. This movement actuates link I52 due to the interconnections of the links and pulls arm I51 downwardly to remove end I58 from shoulder I10 in cam, disk I12 and thereby unlock the sash frame so that the sash frame 55 may be rotated and moved into concealed position.

A sash frame lock is provided to hold the frame in raised or lowered position so that it tends to remain in such position unless the latch is released. This sash frame lock comprises the disk 66 (Fig. 13) formed with two countersunk openings I16 adapted to receive the rounded head of latch rod I18. The rod I18 is mounted in a sleeve I80 within the door I2 and is surrounded by a coiled spring I82. At one end the spring abuts the sleeve I89 and at its other end abuts the rounded head of rod I18 to urge :the rod against disk 69 and into the openings.

This construction locks the sash frame automatically and holds it firmly when it is in either complete raised or lowered positions.

A further safety device comprises the cam portion I90 on disk 66 which is adapted to cooperate with the flat bent spring t92 attached to the door I2 at I94. If the operator has failed to. raise the sash frame tothe regular raised position, the spring I92 automatically moves the sash frame to correct position so that the doors will interlock properly when closed. In addition to this safety device the tapered disks and the tapered slots assist in causing the sash frame to assume vertical raised and lowered positions. 7

A further part of my invention comprises the interlocking construction on the adjacent sides of the upper members of the front and rear doors. This construction makes it possible to dispense with the intermediate bracket for most purposes. Figs. 1 and 2 show the interlocking construction. The sash frame 50 of one door is provided with a groove or channel I96 having a longer side I91. The cooperating sash frame 56 is provided with the tongue I98 adapted to be received by groove I96. The tongue has slightly tapered sides I99 and a convex type point 260; The groove I96 also has slightly tapered sides I96 and a concave bottom 2!. The tongue I98 has a longer side 2B2 adapted to cooperate with the longer side I91 of the groove so as to form a relatively tight construction.- A lining 204 of anyv suitable material maybe provided. r

The sash frames when moved or converted upwardly are adapted to interlock one with the other as above explained to give the appearance of a closed body and also make the body air tight to give all the advantages of a closed body. The tongue and channel are so'constructed that when they are moved downwardly they inter- ,lock at an angular position somewhat different from the angular position when the sash frame. is up but the tongue and channel cooperate to form a relatively tight seal. This is possible because the adjacent shoulders'of the tongue and channel do not abut. 1

The operation will now be described. When it is desired to transform the vehicle into an open one, it is first necessary to completely lower the Window so that hook I36 forceshook member I38 down and member I38 being con nected to vertical arm I51 by the links I44 and I52 causes downward movement of square end I68 and removal thereof from the pocket [10 in the cam disk I12. It is then necessary to move the slidable bolts 12 toward the back'to un lock the sash frame. The -sash frame 50 is lowered into chamber 54 and flap I09 is drawn over a part of the chamber. When the door is closed guard plates I06, H0, H2 cover-the rest of chamber 54 to concealother parts of the sash frame. 1

From the above description it will beapparent I that I have disclosed'relatively simply constructions which are compact and practical and which provide convertible open car and closed car bodies for vehicles.

Y In my co'pending application on Vehicle body construction having removable posts, Serial No.

686,869, filed Aug. 26, 1933, I have a disclosure of a vehicle body construction including some subject matter common to the subject matter in' the present application which is claimed herein, but which is not claimed in said application, Serial No. 686,869, andwhich is directed to means for facilitating raising and lowering the sash frames and means for locking the sash frames when the windows are not completely down. i

What I claim is:

l. A vehicle body including, in combination,

a plurality of pivotally mounted sash frames, one of said frames being provided on one side with a groove, and another of said frames being provided with a projecting tongue adapted tocooperate with said groove to provide a substantially air tight construction without using a stanchion or the likewhen the sash frames are in raised position.

2. A vehicle body including, in combination, a plurality of sash frames movable to concealed position, one of said frames being provided on one side with a groove, another of said frames being provided with a projecting tongue adapted to cooperate with said groove to provide substantially air tight construction without using a stanchion or the like, said tongue and groove being so constructed that they cooperate when the sash frames are in concealed condition to prevent relative movements of the parts during operation of the vehicle.

3. A device of the character described, including, a lower door portion, a sash frame pivoted thereon, a window slidably mounted in said door 7 I portion and said sash frame, means for raising.

or lowering said window, and means for locking said sash frame in raised position when said window is raised, said locking means including a disk on said sash frame and an arm actuated by said window raising means and cooperating with said disk.

4. A device of the character described, including, a lower door portion, a sash frame pivotally mounted 'thereonand adapted to be moved to upper operative position or lower concealed position, a urindow slidably mounted in said door portion and said sash frame, and means in said lower door portion for preventing the raising of said window'when said sash frame is in lowered position, said means comprising a plurality of interlocking hook members.

5. A device of the character described, including a lower door portion, a sash frame pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be moved to upper operative position or lower concealed position, a window slidably mounted insaid door portion and said sash frame, and means, in said lower door portion for preventing the raising of-said window when said sash frame is in lowered position, said means comprising a plurality of interlocking hook members, a plurality of links, a vertically movable arm associated with said links, and a disk on said sash frame for cooperation with said arm.

6. A device of the character described, including a lower door portion, a sash frame pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be'moved to upper operative position or lower concealed position, a window slidably mounted in said door portion and said sash frame, and means in said lower door portion for preventing the raising of said window when said sash frame is in lowered position, said means comprising a plurality of interlocking hook members, a plurality of links, a vertically movable arm associated with said links, and a disk on said sash frame for cooperation with said arm and locking means associated with said hook members for holding said arm in lowered position when the window is down.

7. A device of the character described, including, a lower door portion, a sash frame pivoted thereon and adapted to be moved to upper or lower position, a disk on said sash frame and provided with a shoulder portion, a vertically movable arm cooperating with said shoulder portion when said sash frame is in raised position to prevent movement of said sash frame and means for releasing said arm to permit movement of said sash frame.

8. A device of the character described, which includes, a door adapted for use in a vehicle body, said door being provided with a sash frame, a rod or axle for pivotally mounting said sash frame on said door, and means for changing the effective length of said rod or axle for changing or adjusting the tension under which the sash frame is held.

9. A device of the character described, includinga lower door portion, a sash frame pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be moved to upper operative position or lower concealed p0 sition, a window slidably mounted in said door portion and said sash frame, and means in said lower door portion for preventing the raising of said window when said sash frame is in lowered position, said means comprising a plurality of interlocking hook members, a plurality of links, a vertically movable arm associated with said links, and a disk on said sash frame for cooperation with said arm, said disk being provided with a shoulder for receiving a portion of said arm and locking the sash frame in raised position.

10. A device of the character described, including a lower door portion, a sash frame pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be moved to upper operative position or lower concealed position, a window slidably mounted in said door portion and said sash frame, and means in said lower door portion for preventing the raising of said window when said sash frame is in lowered position, said means comprising a plurality of interlocking hook members, a plurality of links, a vertically movable arm associated with said links, and a disk on said sash frame for cooperation with said arm, and means for normally resiliently holding said links and hook members out of operative condition when the window is in raised position.

11. A device of the character described, including, a lower door portion provided with slots, a sash frame pivotally mounted on said lower door portion and having disks positioned in said slots, said disks being tapered so as to facilitate the raising and lowering of said sash frame.

12. A device of the character described, including, a lower door portion provided with tapered slots, a sash frame pivotally mounted on said lower door portion and having disks received in said slots so as to facilitate the raising and lowering of said sash frame.

THRASYBU'LE D. LAZARIDES. 

